Eleven city of Muskegon Heights police officers were officially laid off as of 6 a.m. today.

But whether this is really goodbye is still uncertain.

The police union on Tuesday filed a grievance demanding that the officers be reinstated, Jim DeVries, business agent for the Command Officers Association of Michigan and the Police Officers Association of Michigan, said on Wednesday.

Resident petitions demanding reinstatement of the laid-off police officers have also begun circulating in the community. No residents or groups have yet stepped forward claiming responsibility for the petitions.

The petitions are being placed in various downtown businesses, said Harold Wright, owner of Rite-Way Communications on Broadway Avenue.

The city has two weeks to respond to the police officers' grievance, DeVries said. If the grievance is rejected, the union will consider "legal counsel," he said.

According to the grievance filed by police, the layoffs violate the union's contract with the city. According to DeVries, the city and police union two years ago signed a contract that requires the city to employ a minimum of 14 road patrol officers.

The Muskegon Heights City Council on Dec. 22 voted to cut 11 police jobs as part of budget-reduction efforts. That decision reduced the city's police force to 15 officers, including command officers who don't normally do road patrol, union officials said.

City officials estimate the layoffs will save the city approximately $400,000 in 2009.

Henderson and Paige have said that the city will continue to look at ways to replenish the city's depleted police force. The council was under pressure to meet a state-mandated Dec. 31 deadline to pass and submit a 2009 balanced budget.

Former Muskegon Heights Mayor Rillastine Wilkins said she understands why the city needed to make cuts. But Wilkins said cutting an already depleted police force was a mistake.

"I hope they re-evaluate these cuts immediately and see if there are other measures or options," Wilkins said. "Maybe they could even go to a four-day work week for other city employees."